Quick report
• Snowpack is thin and patchy or non-existent on sunny slopes below 5000’ elevation. • Recent snowfall totals from the past few days ranged from 2-3” on the Canyon floor and 6-8” above 6000’. • This recent snow was cooked today on sunny aspects and a new surface sun crust began to form as this terrain became shaded later in the day. • Noted a few recently formed 6-12” thick wind slabs above 7000’, mostly on easterly aspects. These were unreactive to ski cuts. • Underneath the recent snow we have a thick new crust due to last week’s warmup and the subsequent cool down over the weekend. This was supportable in skis and sometimes boots. We measured it at 6-7” thick around 6000’ on sunny aspects. • Dug a snow pit in the Shed 11 path at 6400’, south aspect, 29° slope. Snow depth here was only about 20” and basically consisted of three layers: the recent snow, the recent crust under that, and then wet grains to the ground. Extended Column Test yielded ECTP 21 and 19 right underneath the crust (pit profile). • Dug a second snow pit in the uppermost reaches of Shed 10 at 7300’, ENE aspect, 30° slope. Snow depth here was 36” with only about 3” of recent snow resting on top of a 2” thick, 1F-hard crust formed over the weekend. Snowpack was dry throughout. ECTN14 just under the crust and CT12 Q2 on same layer.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
• Scattered clouds with no precipitation and pretty much calm winds at all elevations. • Daytime high air temperatures reached 40°F on the Canyon floor, the mid-30s °F at 6400’, and right at the freezing mark at 7000’.
Avalanche
• Avalanche activity today was limited to a few D1 wet loose on steep southerly slopes at elevations above 5500’. • Confirmed there were no slab avalanches in Path 1163 and Shed 10 last week during the warmup. Only the previously reported wet loose avalanches. • Excellent views today of distant terrain in the park and Flathead Range and no avalanches observed save for a few D1 wet loose and rollerballs.